Mason Witte

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46 thoughts on “Mason Witte”

We are less than one day away from leaving the airport, and it is very exciting to be going back to Guatemala for my second time! For those who do not know, I went on Hillcrest’s first mission trip to Guatemala during the summer of 2014. During that mission trip, I gave my heart fully to God and my life has been changed ever since. When I heard Hillcrest was going back to Guatemala, I couldn’t let the opportunity slip past me.

The first time going to Guatemala, I did not know what to expect and I was a little scared of how God would use me during that time. And now going back, I have the same exact feelings. Despite knowing how things will go during this mission trip, I still do not know how God will use me. However, the amazing thing is that God knows exactly how each and every one of us will be used during this mission trip!

Throughout the next week, I hope to develop a greater appreciation of God and who He is. Through building our homes, praying with the Guatemalans there, passing out medicine, singing praises to God, playing with the kids, and so on, I hope to learn how to serve others more fully and how to understand the power of Christ in new ways.

As I leave with the Hillcrest team, please pray that God will use me and the other team members in unimaginable ways to further His kingdom. Also pray that I may be able to speak effectively with the people we come in contact with (my Spanish is going to be a little rusty since I haven’t studied it for the past year). And please pray that my life will be forever changed in a positive way in knowing God more personally.
Thank you again for all your support and prayers as we serve God’s people in Guatemala!

Mason, you will certainly bless others with your open heart to serve. How joyous is the Lord who has such an open vessel in you to fill and share with others. I hope he give you opportunities for you to help others see Christ working in them as he did with you last time. I love you–Dad

Mason, I am so glad that you are on this team again! You have such a heart for others and I can’t wait to hear your stories of where you saw God this week. Praying for safety and changed lives.
In His grip,
Kristy

May God bless you are you go where Jesus would go, walk where Jesus would walk and be His feet. May God bless you as you serve as Jesus would serve, help as Jesus would help and be His hands. May God bless you as you speak the truth of Jesus, say what Jesus would say and be the voice of Jesus. May God bless you as you are the hands, feet and voice of Jesus to those you meet today.

Mason: it was interesting to hear from Kevin about the obstacles already happening on your way to Guatemala. Remember that God’s strength is greater than any obstacle. Use the knowledge of His strength to strengthen you physically and emotionally as you are serving Him well.

Our time yesterday and today was full of busy work, but good work for Christ! After a small delay to board our second plane, we were able to make it to Guatemala safely and with all our luggage. This morning we started working at our building sites. Your prayers for good weather today were definitely heard by God; the sky was beautiful the entire time we were building the houses and not a drop of rain was felt. My small group and I met our lady who will be accepting the home we are building. Her name is Dominga and she is a widow. Her son (or grandson, I cannot remember), Rudy, was joyful to help us in building the house, which was very kind of him. Today we were able to make the frame of the house, put it up, put up the walls, and also build the front porch area. We accomplished a lot today for sure! About a couple hundred screws were put in our group’s house today, and I will say I’m basically a drill master now. Tomorrow we go back to our building sites, so please keep praying especially for the weather to be nice again. Our team is getting together very well and I’m excited to see what God has in store for us throughout this week!

Hi Mason! I’ve been thinking about how it must feel for you to come to this country that impacted you so much just two yeas ago. God is using you as an experienced member of the team this year! I’m praying for you as you share Jesus’ love through your work and the relationships you’re building!

So much fun to see the pictures of you in action – supervising. Praying for health and safety and that your home built in love with be a blessing to your family. Please leave the extra stucco on your shoes in Guatemala. Miss you! Love, Mom

Thank you all for all your posts so far! Know that I am reading each one even though I don’t respond directly to each one. Today we finished our homes! Woot woot! Just yesterday morning there was only a cement slab on the ground, and now there is a standing and complete house! Today was a great day of experiencing God. I’ve been worried about being able to make relationships with the kids, and today I was able to talk a bit with two kids specifically. Your prayers are being heard for me as I continue to take my Spanish knowledge out of my pocket! Another instance I saw God today was seeing our small group bond together, especially while painting our pictures and verses on the walls. Seeing it all come together so well allowed us to also come together as a group. Also having great conversations and getting to know other team members has been a blessing too. In the beginning of today, I was feeling a bit down and wasn’t seeing God through our work this morning. However, after praying to God I experience all these things and other little instances that have given me confidence in why I am here this week. I know this is more personal and not much about our work day as a whole, but I’m sure others will share information about that. I can’t thank you all enough for your thoughts, encouragement, and prayers for the team and I!

Hi again all! I have two other thoughts I just remembered. First, the two children I spent time with were Lesto de Lee (5 years old) and Erne (11 years old) (the spelling is probably 99% incorrect). Please keep these two brothers in your prayers! Second, tomorrow is dedication day, so please also prayer for open hearts for each family and for us as team members, and that the Holy Spirit may be alive and moving through each and every house. Thank you again!

Mason, I am so glad that your Spanish is coming back to you quickly so that you are able to form relationships with the people there! I am continually praying for you and the team, especially as you dedicate the homes that you have built! I’m sure everyone will be blessed by it. Keep doing well, I know that God has a plan for you on this trip and I pray that you would be able to continue to discover it! Oh and don’t worry Ariana took good care of me tonight:)
Love you, Anna

Hope you’re sleeping Mason. Keep loving those little kids. They are so cute and happy with you. Maybe you can teach them “he owns the cattle on a thousand hills”? We miss you but it also seems to be going fast. Hope you can get done what you need to and what God planned.

Have a blessed Dedication Day, Mason! You mentioned that your team’s home is for Dominga, a widow. I can relate to that as I’ve been a widow for almost 11 years now. She will be thankful each day for the skills (Yea, Drill Master Mason!), effort, and love you share with her. Your blogs are so interesting, with their details and your sense of humor. You are special.
Love and prayers, Gramma W

Praying through your day that Dominga and her family will be among those I will meet someday! What a privilege you have been given to share Christ with these families! You have been blessed and are a blessing to others. Enjoy your praise time tonight! Love you!

Mason,
Thanks for being a blessing to the family your group built the house for. May the dedication time have gone well with the Spirit’s blessing. Praying for tomorrow’s medical clinic.
Go in Christ’s love,
Dave

First message of a new day for you. I hope the medical clinic goes well which should be right up your alley :). We pray that the weather will be good so people will come. Stay encouraged! It was fun seeing the pictures from today – what nice looking and happy families you’ve served – the least of these. Blessings to you bud as you continue your service.

Today was a day of hearts offered to God, both in the village and in our team. Each family who received the houses gave their lives up to Christ. What an amazing thing to see here and an amazing thing to think about back home! My group’s lady who we dedicated our house to is still on the border of giving her life up to God fully. She has been through a lot throughout her life, so it must be very difficult for her to understand God’s plan for her. Her son did give his life up to God though, which is awesome! Please keep our lady, Dominga, in your prayers please. Tonight was an amazing night for our team as well. To make things short (since I need to get to bed) our team truly came together in community, lifting each other up in prayer together as we took communion on our knees before God. I’ve been learning many different things while on this trip that I didn’t know I would learn. I am more than willing to share these things once back home for sure!

Dear Mason – verse 4 fron 3 John keeps popping into my mind today –
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Mason I was just looking through the pictures of the dedication day and could tell how powerful and emotional it must have been. AMAZING! I will be praying for you as you shift gears and move on to the medical part of your mission. Looks like everyone already has scrubs. (hopefully ones without mud) Praying for continued health, strength and safety as you go out and change some more lives.

Mason, I’m so glad you could return to Guatemala! Seeing the pictures brings back so many great memories. God bless you with energy as you finish strong. I know God will reveal himself in new ways this time!
Mrs. Billin

Mason so glad that you are there on a return trip with the team! We are praying for you and so be bold for God! Hope today’s medical trip goes well! Keep praying for Dominga and those with her. With those around her trusting God she will see truth based on their faith and evidence. I suppose it is that way for all of us!

Mason, I heard this song on the radio this morning and thought of YOU. Here’s the first part —
Lots of love and prayer, Gramma W

UNSPOKEN LYRICS
“Good Fight”

Until you stop breathing
Until you stop bleeding
Until your heart stops kick-drum beating
When it’s hard times
When it’s long days
And the enemy is right up in your face
When your back’s against the ropes and you’re feeling all alone

Keep fighting the good fight (Never give up, never give up)
Keep letting your light shine (Holding it high as long as you live)
‘Cause I’m never gonna leave you
Always gonna see you through to the other side
Keep fighting the good, fighting the good, fighting the good fight, good fight

Even in the road blocks (yeah)
Even through the rough spots
When you’re feeling you’ve given all that you’ve got
I’m with you in the next step
Giving you in the next breath
I’ll be the voice saying “You’re gonna make it”
When you’re out there on your own
You are never alone

Mason
It is so great to read about the experiences that you are having. What a great opportunity….to be the hands and feet of Jesus to people that need to know him! Continued prayers for you and the rest of the team as you “finish the race set before you.”

Mason it’s so good to see you enjoying serving the Lord. He is using you in a mighty way! Thank you for giving of your time to help bring these dear people to Christ. I feel the attatchment for these people building in each post. Praying for your health and endurance each day.

Mason, can you believe that today is your last day in Guatemala? It doesn’t seem possible that the week is done but when you look back at all that you and the team accomplished…wow…well done, good and faithful servant! Praying for tonight’s final worship time.
Can’t wait to hear more stories

Hi Mason, I’ve enjoyed reading and seeing the pictures about how you’ve been serving the Lord this past week. I thank Him for blessing you as you’ve been a blessing to others. Thanks for being bold for Christ this week. Have a great last day! Praying for safe travels on the way home.

Mason, I’m so happy you could spend another week of your life where you wanted and where God desired you to be. The week is nearly done and you will return to us soon. We can’t wait to see you and hug you. We know that leaving causes sadness too and that many will want to stay or return like you last year. And we know that God continues His work there even when you aren’t there. Our prayers can continue for all those you’ve helped and touched. We love you and pray for safe travels and saved souls left behind.

Today is our last day in Guatemala! Time has flown by like none other. Thank you for your prayers again, and please continue to pray because God still shows us the lost even when shopping. Please also pray for the worship time tonight, it will be very powerful! During the first medical clinic, God set upon my heart to pray and show Christ’s love to one specific family. The lady’s name is Dina and she has two sons. One son is named Gustavo, and the other son I did not meet much since he was playing with his friends. I was able to talk to her a little bit, which was super neat. Although I don’t know her life story, I do know that she gave her life to Christ. Even though I couldn’t relate to her fully (since I’m a young guy and she is a 33-year-old mother), I could see that she is a humble mother as she took care of Gustavo the entire time with gentle love, care, and giving her son direction. God wanted me to show her gratitude, and I was able to do that throughout the day for her. One other part of the story was at night right before we left the village. Dina had left already, but I knew I had to give her my flashlight for some reason. Julian, a team member, was able to translate for me to tell some other ladies that this flashlight is for Dina. I don’t know how exactly she will use this, but that is where trust in God begins! I just wanted to share with you all this story as it has been placed on my heart to share.

Mason, it has been so great to hear from you through these posts and thank you for sharing! Praying that your last day has been good and that you are able to have a powerful time of worship tonight as a team! I can’t wait to hear all the stories that you’ll come home with!
One more sleep:)
Anna

Thankful that God gave you just the right item for Dina to have. What a perfect object to show the light of Jesus in this dark world. Excited to see you tomorrow! Praying for travel safety and physical endurance. Love you! Mom

Mason, I just read today’s team blog giving your arrival time back in GR. According to FlightAware, your plane is just about to land here and there’s no time for me to make it to the airport. So here’s a virtual hug to welcome you home!
Your partner in this special mission, Gramma W